Ingredients
Cocoa Crust
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, soft
- 2/3 cup Imperial Sugar Confectioners Powdered Sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour*
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
Peanut Cream Filling
- 1 1/2 cups whipping or heavy cream
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter, preferably not a variety which has oil on surface
- 4 ounces cream cheese, very soft
- 1 cup Imperial Sugar Confectioners Powdered Sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
Finishing
- 1, 3.4 ounce milk chocolate bar (high-quality such as Lindt)
*Spoon & Sweep method: Use a spoon to fill measuring cup with flour until required amount is obtained. Scooping measuring cup directly into flour bag will firmly pack flour resulting in too much flour required for recipe.
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- For crust, mix butter and powdered sugar using a paddle attachment until well blended. Add egg and mix until well combined. Add salt and vanilla.
- Sift together flour and cocoa powder and add to above in one step. On low speed, mix until just combined. Do not over-mix.
- Press dough evenly flat onto a sheet of plastic food film. Place dough in refrigerator or freezer for at least 30 minutes or until well chilled.
- Meanwhile, chill work surface area that you will be rolling dough on by placing a cookie sheet filled with ice cubes on it.
- Set aside a 9-inch standard pie pan, preferably made of metal, as this dough can slide on glass or ceramic pie pans.
- Sprinkle chilled area lightly with flour and roll dough into a circle large enough to cover entire tart pan. Place dough into place and remove excess. Press dough into any cracks or tears.
- Place in oven and bake for about 12 minutes or until dough feels firm and pressing a dent in it is no longer possible. Set aside.
- Whip cream to soft peaks – do not whip stiff as you would for decorating pies or filling will not turn out correctly. Set aside.
- In a bowl large enough to hold all ingredients, combine peanut butter and very soft cream cheese. Add powdered sugar.
- At this stage, mixture will be rather firm, and it is important to soften it gradually. Add 1/6 of whipped cream and mix until combined and lump-free.
- Add another 1/6 cream and be as delicate as possible while combining. Add another 1/6 of cream and fold gently. Keep repeating until all is used.
- Transfer filling to baked crust and place in refrigerator.
- For chocolate shavings, chop chocolate in small pieces and place them in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in a microwave oven at 12-second intervals until melted. Set aside.
- Place a cookie sheet briefly under a broiler or heat over a gas stove. Pan should feel lukewarm and not so hot that you cannot handle it without heat-resistant gloves.
- On backside of pan, spread a super thin layer of chocolate using an offset metal spatula.
- Place cookie sheet in refrigerator for 15-20 minutes or until chocolate is solid.
- Scrape chocolate from pan using a spatula, scraper, or cookie cutter into shavings and place on pie. If desired, sprinkle with cocoa powder and or powdered sugar.